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Jeffrey Salomonie says he has no memory of harming Daisy Curley when he killed her in May of 2009.

The 48-year-old Cape Dorset man testified in his own murder trial Tuesday in Iqaluit, in a case hinging on whether or not he had intent. He's pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but Crown prosecutors rejected his plea, instead pushing for a first degree murder conviction.

Defence lawyer James Morton questioned his client on his sobriety the night Salomonie killed Curley. Salomonie — who had flown into the city for a medical appointment at the time — testified he drank eight to nine beers and two or three vodka mixed drinks at the Storehouse bar before being introduced to Curley.

Salomonie said after he and Curley got their own table, they drank another two or three beers together before leaving for his hotel room in the same building. Salomonie told the court he wanted to have sex with Curley that night.

In all, Salomonie says he had about 10 to 12 beers, plus the two or three vodka mixed drinks, in about a five-hour window.

Salomonie went on to say he and Curley shared a cup of vodka in his hotel room before taking a taxi to Curley's house. On a scale of one to 10 — where 10 is the drunkest — Salomonie testified he was at about a nine when he got to the home where they drank some more, after which he reached a 10.

Salomonie testified the last thing he remembered was hugging and kissing Curley. He said his next memory was seeing her lying on the floor, her face swollen beyond recognition.

Salomonie wiped the kitchen floor with a cloth to try and clean up his bloody footprints, then walked back to his hotel before flying back to Cape Dorset.

Curley was found dead in her home two days later. Salomonie was arrested and charged two years later.

Crown prosecutors will begin their cross-examination when the trial resumes Wednesday morning.